Project: Sulfur amino acids, energy metabolism and obesity

Acronym	STAY
Duration	01/03/2020 - 28/02/2023
Project Topic	Aims: The aim of the project is to establish sulfur amino acids (SAA) in the diet and circulation as modifiable risk factors of obesity and related metabolic disease. We will achieve this aim by performing a randomized controlled dietary intervention with SAA restriction in individuals with overweight and obesity, and investigate anthropometric, dietary and genetic determinants of a high-risk SAA profile in a population-based cohort enriched in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Work Plan: The work comprises three distinctive work packages. Work package 1 will focus on a dietary intervention with SAA restriction through a plant-based diet. We will evaluate the effects on body composition, energy expenditure, plasma and urine SAA, plasma lipoprotein and fatty acid profile, adipokines, appetite hormones, glucose tolerance and gene expression of relevant genes. In work package 2 we will use existing material from an established deeply phenotyped population cohort to investigate anthropometric, dietary and genetic determinants of a high-risk SAA profile in the plasma and urine of 3500 participants. Work package 3 comprise the analytical part of the project, consisting of state-of-the-art methodology to assess relevant metabolites including plasma SAA profile and the sulfurome, plasma fatty acid profile, and appetite and satiety hormones. Impact of the expected results: SAA restriction in animals lead to beneficial changes in body composition, insulin sensitivity, energy metabolism and lipid profile. If we are able to translate the findings from animal studies to humans, the impact will be vastly beneficial for public health since we can reduce body adiposity and induce favorable changes in the risk profile of subjects with obesity. Our project will enhance understanding of the mechanisms by which a plant-based diet low in SAA content can benefit human metabolic health The population studies will establish whether habitual diets are associated with SAA in plasma and urine, and with adiposity and co-morbidities. By integrating the findings from the project we will seek to identify risk groups likely to benefit from SAA restriction. Taken together, the impact of the expected results will aid in risk stratification, prevention and treatment of obesity and related metabolic disease.
Network	HDHL-INTIMIC
Call	3rd Cofund Call: Impact of Diet, Food Components and Food Processing on Body Weight Regulation and Overweight Related Metabolic Diseases

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	University of Oslo	Coordinator	Norway
2	Charles Uiversity	Partner	Czech Republic
3	Maastricht University	Partner	Netherlands
4	University of Oxford	Observer	United Kingdom
5	Vitas	Observer	Norway